Help Paying Higher Energy Bills (Scotland)

The rise in energy prices affects families who have a child with complex needs more than most. Heating and electricity bills can be more expensive if someone in your household has limited mobility and requires medical equipment such as ventilators to support them at home. These cannot be avoided, and with the increasing cost of living, they have grown more than ever before.

This guide lists different types of help available to families in Scotland. For information on help available to families in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, see our Help Paying Higher Energy Bills (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) article.

Government Grants and Benefits for Energy Bills

Warm Home Discount

This scheme is run by the UK Government and participating energy suppliers and provides households in Scotland, England and Wales with a £150 discount on their electricity bill during winter. The Warm Home Discount is available to two groups of people; those in receipt of the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit, and those who meet criteria set by their energy supplier.

Discounts are automatically deducted from your energy bill. You do not need to apply unless:

• you’re on a low income in Scotland. Contact your energy supplier to apply.
• you live in a Park (mobile) home. Apply through Charis Grants.

To check if you are eligible for the scheme click here.

The Warm Home Discount Scheme has closed. It will reopen in October 2025.

Winter Heating Payment

You may receive a Winter Heating Payment if you qualified for one of the following benefits between 4 November and 10 November 2024:

• Universal Credit
• Pension Credit
• Income Support or Income based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income Related Employment Support Allowance
• Support for Mortgage Interest

Find out more about eligibility.

If you are eligible, you will get a single payment of £58.75 regardless of weather conditions in your area.

If you think you should be entitled to a Winter Heating Payment and haven’t received one, send Social Security Scotland a request.

Winter Fuel Payment

In Scotland the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment (PAWHP) has replaced the Winter Fuel Payment. For winter 2024/25, the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment will follow the UK Winter Fuel Payment rules on a like-for-like basis.

The current UK Winter Fuel Payment rules are:

You may be eligible if you were born on or before the 23 September 1958, and fulfil certain criteria. Check eligibility here.

You should receive a payment between £200 and £300 by 29 January 2025. For details on how much you will qualify for, visit the Government website here. This will be paid automatically to you and you should get a letter in October or November saying how much you will get.

If you do not get a letter but think you are eligible, have deferred your State Pension, or have moved abroad you may need to make a claim. Make a claim here. The deadline to make a claim for winter 2024/25 is 31 March 2025.

You should contact DWP if you have any questions about Pension Age Winter Heating Payment. Find out how to contact DWP.

Child Winter Heating Assistance

The Child Winter Heating Assistance benefit is a payment to support families with disabled children and young people with the increased cost of heating over winter. Every qualifying child under 19 years living in the household will automatically receive £251.50 for 2024/2025.

The child or young person must be under the age of 19 years and be in receipt of either of the following benefits:

• The highest rate of the care component of Child Disability Payment or Disability Living Allowance for Children.
• The enhanced daily living component of Personal Independence Payment.
• The enhanced rate of the daily living component of Adult Disability Payment.

Payment will be made into the same account your qualifying benefit goes into. For more information visit the mygov.scot website.

Scottish Welfare Fund Crisis Grant

The Scottish Welfare Fund Crisis Grant can help to cover heating costs in an emergency.

To get a Crisis Grant you need to be on a low income. This does not mean you need to be on benefits.

You can only apply through your local council. You cannot apply through the Scottish Government.

Find out more about the Scottish Welfare Fund Crisis Grant.

Help Paying Water Bills

Water Charges Reduction Scheme

Households that receive Council Tax Reduction may also receive a reduction of up to 35% on their water and waste water charges through the Water Charges Reduction Scheme (WCRS).

Customers do not need to apply for the WCRS, your local authority will automatically apply any reduction to your charges.

If your property has been altered to meet the needs of a disabled person, you may be entitled to a Disabled Banding Reduction on your council tax. This means that you are also entitled to the Water Charges Reduction Scheme.

Please contact your local council for further information.

Help if you have Oxygen Concentrators at Home

You may be entitled to a rebate on your electricity bills if you have an oxygen concentrator installed in your home. The rebate covers the electricity used by the concentrator. When installed your supplier will tell you how you will receive your rebate and how they will monitor the amount of electricity your concentrator uses.

Visit the Air Liquide or the BOC to find out more. If you use a different supplier, contact them to ask about this.

Help Paying Energy Debt

With energy prices as high as they currently are, there is a danger that families will become unable to keep up with their bills and fall into debt. If you are worried about being able to afford energy this winter, ask for advice as soon as you can from organisations like Citizen’s Advice and National Debt Line.

It is also worth contacting your energy supplier to discuss payment plans and other options. Some organisations can help you speak to your supplier such as Scope’s Disability Energy Support.

Energy Supplier Schemes

Some energy suppliers have schemes to help their customers struggling to pay their bills. Each scheme will have different eligibility requirements. Check if your supplier has a scheme for customers facing energy debt by contacting them or checking their website.

Here is a list of some schemes we know about:

• British Gas Energy Trust is open to anyone, not just British Gas customers.
• Scottish Power Hardship fund is open to Scottish Power customers who are either on certain benefits, have a low income, or have other circumstances e.g. reduced income due to illness.
• EON Next Energy Fund is open to Eon customers.
• EDF Energy Customer Support Fund is open to EDF customers.
• Octopus Energy Assist Fund is open to Octopus Energy, Affect Energy, Co-operative Energy, Ebico Living and London Power customers.
• Ovo Energy Hardship scheme is open to Ovo and Boost customers.
• Utilita Helping Hand Fund is open to Utilita customers.
• Together For Short Lives have a partnership with gas network company SGN for a free energy voucher. This is either a £99 energy voucher for your pre-payment meter or a £150 energy card to take off your energy bill. It is open to those caring for a seriously ill child in the South of England. Book a phone or online appointment with a TogetherForShortLives Energy Advisor to check eligibility and for the voucher to be processed.

The Fuel Bank Foundation

The Fuel Bank Foundation is a charity dedicated to helping people who are struggling to pay their energy bills. They provide emergency financial support and advice to people who pre-pay for fuel and have run out of credit.

Visit the Fuel Bank Foundation website for information and advice here.

Paying Energy Bills Using Your Benefits

If you are struggling, you may be able to pay your energy bills and any debt you may have, directly out of your benefit. This is also known as ‘Fuel Direct’, or ‘third party deductions’, and your energy supplier will be paid monthly. Benefits eligible for this include:

• Universal Credit
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment Support Allowance
• Income Support
• Pension Credit

For more information, you can visit the Government website here, and to apply contact your Jobcentre Plus, if you are in receipt of Pension Credit you must apply via your Pension Service.

Improving your Energy Efficiency

Leap Energy and Money-Saving Service

Leap offer a free service providing energy advice, support with energy switching and ways to make your home more energy efficient such as installing home insulation. They may refer you for debt advice or benefits if needed.

Direct applications for this service have closed. To receive support, you must be referred by your local food bank, Citizens Advice Bureau, health clinic, or housing officer.

Find out more about Leap here.

Energy Saving Tips

Using extra energy to care for your child with complex needs at home is unavoidable. However, there are some small changes that you can make to other parts of your home life that can help you save a bit on your bills.

There are lots of energy-saving guides available to help you do this, from organisations like the Energy Saving Trust.

Read our Energy Saving Tips guide here for more information on ways to reduce your bills.

Other Useful Resources and Information

Turn2us Benefits and Grants Search

There may be local charities and other organisations who can help you with your energy bills this winter. Visit Turn2us and search for grants here.

According to Turn2us “Millions of people are missing out on thousands of pounds.” Use their Benefits Calculator to see if you are receiving everything you are entitled to or use their website to find your local Benefits Advisor who can do a benefits check for you.

Use their Benefits Calculator here.

Find a Benefits Advisor here.

If you need extra financial support for equipment, therapies or respite check out our Grants for Families article here.

Citizens Advice Scotland

The Money Talk Team provide free money and debt advice to maximise your income. You can speak with your local advisor face-to-face, or chat online with a virtual assistant.

Visit their website to speak to the Money Talk Team here.

Priority Services Register

The Priority Services Register will allow your house to receive priority support in the unlikely event of power cuts occurring this winter. To receive support, you must contact your energy supplier and ask to be added to this register. If, for medical reasons, you are dependent on a consistent supply of energy, you can ask your supplier to give your network operator your details.

The charity Scope has an informative page about the Priority Services Register here.

If you need support registering Scope’s Disability Energy Support team can, contact them here.

In the event of a power cut to your home, call 105 to be connected to your local network operator’s emergency helpline.

The information in this article was correct at the time of publishing but may be subject to change

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